Make renewed appeal to auto drivers to report suspicious activity on day of terror attack

2 weeks after blast, cops still clutching at straws

Make renewed appeal to auto drivers to report suspicious activity on day of terror attack

Sixteen days have passed since a blast tore through German Bakery, killing 17 people and leaving 55 injured, but the police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the terrorist attack.

On Sunday state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief K P Raghuvanshi appealed to citizens to share any information they might have on the blast. A renewed appeal to report details of any suspicious people was also made to autorickshaw drivers who, on the day of the blast, ferried passengers after 3 pm in the area around Hotel O near the bakery. Ranghuvanshi refused to divulge any information on whether the appeal by
the ATS had received any appreciable response.

Earlier, Commissioner of Police Dr Satyapal Singh had also appealed to autorickshaw drivers.

According to sources, some rickshaw drivers who operate in the Koregaon Park area and who were present on the day of the blast were shown CCTV footage to ascertain whether any visitors to the bakery had been dropped by them.

So far nothing concrete has emerged from that exercise.

Police sources said CCTV footage obtained from Hotel O had failed to give any concrete lead on the blast. But they said footage captured by the CCTV camera above the cashier's desk inside the bakery was being considered important by investigating agencies.

Raids, but no arrests
There were reports that the ATS, along with the city Crime Branch and Special Branch officials, had conducted raids and rounded up several people for interrogation. But so far nobody has been arrested.

Fingers had been pointed in all directions, including at Indian Mujahideen's Riyaz Bhatkal, Mohsin Chaudhari and others, but the police have not got any confirmed link yet.

Obscure groups
So far three lesser-known terrorist organisations have claimed responsibility for the blast. First, an Islamabad-based newspaper office had received a call from Waziristan in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on February 16, and a person identifying himself as Abu Jindal, spokesman of a terrorist group, claimed his group had carried out
the attack.

Then, recently, SIMI International and Mujahideen Islam Muslim Front also claimed responsibility for the blast, in letters addressed to the police commissioner. One of the letters bore a Pune Post stamp, while the stamp on the other letter was blurred.